reseach paper 1 fpr nutrition
Spotlight on Alcohol
The Character of Alcohol
- Ethanol
- The alcohol in beer, wine, spirits
- Methanol
- Wood alcohol—poisonous
Alcohol: Is it a Nutrient?
- Provides energy
- 7 kcal/g
- No other nutritive value
Alcohol and Its Sources
- Fermentation
- Yeast cells metabolize sugar to make alcohol
- Alcoholic beverages
- Beer: 5–6% alcohol
- Wine: 8–14% alcohol
- Liquor: 35–45% alcohol
- “Proof” is twice the alcohol percentage
Alcohol Absorption
- No digestion required
- Absorbed from mouth, esophagus, stomach,
and small intestine - Absorption slowed by food
- 80–95% of alcohol is absorbed unchanged
Alcohol in the Body
- Metabolizing small amounts of alcohol
- Alcohol dehydrogenase
- Alcohol acetaldehyde
- Aldehyde dehydrogenase
- Acetaldehyde acetate
- Acetaldehyde, acetate converted to acetyl CoA
- Acetyl CoA molecules built into fatty acids
Alcohol in the Body
- Metabolizing large amounts of alcohol
- Overwhelms alcohol dehydrogenase system
- Uses microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system (MEOS)
Alcohol in the Body
- Removing alcohol from circulation
- Liver metabolism limited
- Blood alcohol level falls slowly
Alcohol in the Body
- Individual differences in rate of alcohol metabolism
- Gender
- Race/ethnicity
- Age
When Alcohol Becomes a Problem
- Alcohol in the brain and nervous system
- Depressant; affects all parts of brain
- Alcohol’s effect on GI system
- Esophagitis and gastritis
When Alcohol Becomes a Problem
- Alcohol and the liver
- Fatty liver
- Fibrosis
- Cirrhosis
- Fetal alcohol syndrome
- Physical abnormalities
- Mental retardation
- Low birth weight and poor growth
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
- Can have a devastating impact when consumed during pregnancy
- Variety of congenital defects:
Mental retardation
Coordination programs
Heart, eye, and genitourinary malformations
Slowed growth rates
Alcoholics and Malnutrition
- Poor diet
- Alcohol provides energy but no nutrients
- Economic factors
- Lack of interest in food; GI problems
Alcoholics and Malnutrition
- Vitamin deficiencies
- Alcohol interferes with vitamin metabolism
- Folate, thiamin, and
vitamin A - Mineral deficiencies
- Inadequate diet; fluid losses
- Calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc
- Some mineral levels are elevated
Alcoholics and Malnutrition
- Macronutrients
- Alcohol interferes with amino acid absorption
- Alcohol raises blood levels of fats
- Body weight
- Inconsistent effect of alcohol calories on weight
Does Alcohol Have Benefits?
- Moderate drinking has been associated with reduced mortality
- Heart disease
- French paradox: red wine
Does Alcohol Have Benefits?
- People who should not consume alcohol:
- Those who cannot moderate their intake
- Children and adolescents
- Those taking certain medications
- Those with illnesses worsened by alcohol
- Those who drive or operate machinery
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women
- Those with a strong family history of alcoholism